Wendy Nichol Hall

Fine-roast blend

By MATT ELLIOTT World Scene Writer
3/23/2007 9:59 AM

Singer-songwriter Wendy Nichol Hall perks on coffeehouse circuit

By day, local folk singer Wendy Nichol Hall is an assistant manager at a Broken Arrow Starbucks.

She might take your order for a double latte grande, or if you've a complaint, she'd be the one with whom you'd speak.

But outside of work, she's Wendy Nichol, a singer-songwriter with an acoustic guitar, a sweet soprano, a hip-hop delivery and a first album to promote. The former Edison High School and Tulsa Community College student will release her first CD, "Steppin' Up," this Saturday at the Blend Coffeehouse in Broken Arrow.

The album comes after no small amount of work for Hall at a second job and gigging at coffee shops for little or no money. To finish off "Steppin' Up," Hall had to work a pizza delivery job last summer.

Armed solely with an acoustic guitar, Hall, 28, has channeled the last few years' worth of emotional events in her life into the 10-song album.

She has been a regular on the coffee house circuit in Tulsa, playing her intimate music to rapt listeners, but not exactly getting paid for it, so she has one simple goal.

"I want music to pay the bills some day," she

said.

Although she appreciates the coffee house beat (her first show was at the Gypsy Coffee House), she's ready to move on to touring regionally, she said. She plans on playing shows in Chicago, Missouri and Arkansas this year.

Hall grew up filling journals with poetry but didn't learn guitar until 1999, thanks to a classical guitar class at TCC.

Her songs stem from that ever-present folk singer-songwriter source, "life experiences," especially heartache.

"Heartache is the easiest feeling to write about," she said. "There are so many intense emotions involved."

"Thinkin'," boasting harmonies and a cold, dry-as-a-bone guitar, is about spending time with a good friend, she said. She hopes that "I Just Do" reaches someone who has just broken up with a significant other and needs to get over it.

"Light to Your Demise" has a bit of a swagger not usually seen in folk music -- unless you're Ani DiFranco. It's propelled by a drum machine, with Hall rapping in an almost reggae-fashion, calling out the fakes.

The album will be available at her show Saturday and later online at www.cdbaby.com, iTunes, her Web site www.wendynichol.com, and in some local indie record stores.

She's already started writing her next album, she said, and she hopes the sales of this album will finance that new project.

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Wendy Nichol CD Release Party

When:
7 p.m. Saturday with openers Josh James, From Now On, Andrea Fort, Last Year's Resolution, James Price, Tyler Clarensau, Aaron Lee Martin

Where:
Blend Coffeehouse, 219 S. Main St., in Broken Arrow

Admission:
Free

By MATT ELLIOTT World Scene Writer